2011 Rockies Player Reviews: The Backup Relievers

When doing these player reviews, it's always hard to make sure we mention everybody. Not that everyone necessarily needs mentioning, but the fact that a lot of these people were, in fact, Rockies players in 2011 gives us reason enough to review them.

You know we're digging deep when we're looking at the part-time members of the bullpen. I mean, there's no shame in being a relief pitcher or anything - there's a lot of money in it, especially if you're competent in the 9th inning.

So without further adieu, we review the seasons of: Matt Daley, J.C. Romero, Eric Stults, Edgar Gonzalez, Josh Roenicke.

Matt Daley, God bless his soul, just cannot stay healthy and effective. After a very successful 57-game Rookie year, Matt Daley has found himself battling shoulder troubles which have kept him out of the majors for any real extended period of time. There was some hope for Daley midseason, but he just wasn't able to get back. Over his 6 innings, Daley struck out 7, gave up 7 runs, and generally didn't leave an impression.

JC Romero was brought in to take a load off of Rex Brothers and Matt Reynolds or provide veteran lefty leadership or something. Romero was cut from Philadelphia earlier this season, latched on with the Nationals and Yankees' AAA affiliates, and eventually just asked for his release. The Rockies picked him up for league-min in August, and he pitched 8 very decent innings, showing strong skew towards LHB - there's years in Romero, yet.

Eric Stults, former Dodger, was brought in during Spring Training to start - no wait, to relieve - no wait, to pitch in AAA. He was a starter if the entire rotation was captured by the Legion of Doom. He was a reliever if Rex Brothers decided to stay in AAA and Matt Reynolds couldn't shake it. To AAA with you! Stults eventually hit the majors and pitched 12 uninspired innings, giving up runs in all outings but one. It could have just been a stretch of good hitting, as Stults actually posted competent numbers in AAA, but it ultimately left kind of an unpleasant taste in the mouths of Rockies fans.

Edgar Gonzalez' infamy will live not in his pitching, but in the fact that he was brought up shortly after Ubaldo Jimenez was traded, wearing #38.

Finally, Josh Roenicke. Roenicke actually pitched well for the Rockies, earning a bit of a "not just another September callup" reputation as the final weeks of the season wound down. Roenicke was picked up off of waivers from the Blue Jays, and really wasn't a bad grab, what with trying to save the arms of the better guys down the stretch and all.

Subjective Grades: Daley D, Romero B, Stults F, Gonzalez F, Roenicke B.

2012: Roenicke is still with the Rockies, and could be a contender for that last-man bullpen spot, should the team tender him a contract. JC Romero is a free agent, and the Rockies are in talks to bring him back. Eric Stults has declared Minor League Free Agency, and would be a minor-league contract anywhere he lands. Edgar Gonzalez also declared Minor League Free Agency, and I don't think he'll be back. Matt Daley, depressingly enough, declared Minor League Free Agency as well. The Rockies could look to bring him back, but Daley might be better served as a likely Major Leaguer rather than a bubble player like he'd be here.

Objective Grades: Ehhhh.... let's just say C.